By 2018, €242 million of EU funds were invested in Malta’s infrastructure, security, creation of jobs, skills, and better standard of living.

Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds and Social Dialogue Aaron Farrugia said on Friday that the proper management of EU funds played a significant part in the economic success achieved by the country in recent years.

“What this effectively means is that Malta invested all the funds allocated to it on time and will not be sending any funds back as stipulated in the automatic decommitment principle,” he said.

He stressed that this achievement would place Malta’s negotiating team in a stronger position to get a fair deal in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), for which the negotiations are expected to come to a close by autumn of this year.

• The programmes for which the cumulative total financial target was reached are the Regional Development Fund (€104.8 million), the European Social Fund (€33.8 million), Cohesion Fund (€65 million), the European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development (€20.9 million), the European Maritime & Fisheries Fund (€5.9 million), Internal Security Fund (Borders) (€5.3 million), Internal Security Fund (Police) (€2.1 million) and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (€3.4 million).

• Key infrastructure projects iinclude the Kappara Junction, the Marsa Junction Super Structures, the Marsa-Ħamrun Bypass, significant investments in water, the regeneration of Lower Valletta, and the extension of the Xewkija Industrial Park in Gozo. Another significant investment was the recently opened National-Community Art Museum – MUZA.

• Projects aimed at improving the standard of living include the regeneration of social housing units and the MCAST Campus Master Plan.

• Soft funds were used on developing knowledge, skills, and competences of different segments of the population, through projects such as the One Tablet Per Child, the Access to Employment Scheme and the ENDEAVOUR Scholarships Scheme.

• In security, major projects include the procurement of a new Offshore Patrol Vessel and the purchasing of a Passenger Name Record System among others.

• The development of the Marsaxlokk breakwater is in hand,as well a training project devised specifically for fishermen, along with other schemes.

• Millions of euros were also invested in the agriculture sector, including the modernisation of farms, purchase of equipment, regeneration of rural roads and rubble walls, and assistance for young farmers.

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